Lichen Planus /Levothyroxine

[DJR1]

So after dreadful GP encounters and refusal to refer to Endocrinologist because “if your T4 and TSH are anywhere in reference range you can’t have any symptoms you just need antidepressant” and “no it doesn’t cause Lichen Planus” I was referred by the oral medicine Consultant to NHS Endocrinologist at large London Hospital.

Armed with all my Medichecks results and list of symptoms went with no expectations at all. However I met a Consultant who listened to every word, told me others react to Levothyroxine and said the best thing for me would be Armour Thyroid! After gasping in surprise I produced my

Nature Throid and he checked the label over asked here I got it (imported) and said yes carry on and he would monitor me if I wanted. Fantastic! But he said it was no use him writing a prescription in future as GP’s and CCG refuse to supply. So I will carry on but how ridiculous if NHS Consultants endorse it’s use but patients can’t have it because of primary care. Seems the guidelines are not as strictly adhered to as I thought in some places- what a pleasant surprise.

[diogenes Remembering]

I posted this 3 weeks ago so I'll repeat:

From time to ime correspondents here complain of oral lichen planus. This analysis shows a significant correlation

.A new paper in Frontiers in Thyroid Endocrinology relating oral lichen planus to thyroid problems. Open format for viewing:

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ARTICLE

Front. Endocrinol., 09 November 2017 | doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2017....

The Association of Thyroid Disease and Oral Lichen Planus: A Literature Review and Meta-analysis

Dan Li†, Jin Li†, Chunlei Li, Qianming Chen and Hong Hua*

[DJR1 in reply to diogenes]

Thank you for posting. The link of LP to Hypothyroidism is well known in Oral Medicine Departments however there is no published evidence to suggest that Levothyroxine is the cause. Although I was told there is building anecdotal evidence from patients that it may be, as dose increases can cause flare up of lesions. I was referred to Endocrinology as the Consultant felt there was enough grounds to consider an alternative to Levo. As usual no evidence means no one has really looked into it and big pharma will have no interest if it means losing some of their market.

[Avidreader in reply to DJR1]

My dentist says there a link to lichen Planus & metal fillings - I had mine removed

[Nanaedake in reply to diogenes]

Can you give us a live link?

[Clutter]

DJR1,

I think it is shocking that a NHS specialist's treatment recommendation can be ignored due to cost. However, if you are taking NatureThroid then Lichen Planus isn't a reaction to Levothyroxine.

[DJR1 in reply to Clutter]

I have not changed to the Nature-Throid yet as I wanted an expert opinion as which way to go NDT or T3. I will start tomorrow on the dose he advised and he will follow up with blood tests in 8 weeks. I had already imported a supply some weeks ago as I knew there were supply problems

[Clutter in reply to DJR1]

DJR1,

Okay, I hope it helps. What dose Levothyroxine were you taking and what NDT dose has endo recommended?

[DJR1 in reply to Clutter]

Hi, I was taking 50 micrograms of Mercury Pharma Levo daily. I am very undermedicated with a TSH of 4.5 and a T4 of 11. He said 1 grain of Nature-Throid would be a good start and test in 8 wks with aim of T3 T4 in Upper third of ref range and TSH registering on the Ref range. Sounds good to me.

[Clutter in reply to DJR1]

DJR1,

1 grain to start sounds good but you'll probably need an increase to get FT3 up.

[Agapanthus]

That's really interesting. I had no idea of the link between Thyroxine and LP which I have had for over 10 years - mine actually began on the skin and then it became oral. I have actually been on T3 for 5 years but more recently on a mix of T4/T3 but felt very unwell as T4 was increased and T3 reduced.

[DJR1 in reply to Agapanthus]

That’s interesting did your LP settle on T3 only? I have multisite LP it began 4 months after I started Levo. I have had it for 10years. If I try to increase dose it just flares up.

[Agapanthus in reply to DJR1]

I guess it's hard to know with my own LP if it was just the Thyroxine as I did try various approaches with it. I haven't had many flare ups for a long time though so being on T3 generally has been better. However I did also cut out gluten, and most sugar as I found that sugar definitely aggravated things.

[Agapanthus in reply to Agapanthus]

Another thing I wanted to add DJR1 is that when my LP started, I had been on Thyroxine for over 10 years, so in my case it seems unlikely it was the direct trigger, but it happened to coincide with an annual Thyroid Function Test where interestingly my TSH had gone up a lot and over range.

[Hidden]

Lichen Planus is an overload of toxins in the body. What about being treated with an oriental specialist using only natural detox and accupunture.

[Avidreader in reply to Hidden]

Yep - I had my anal gums removed ( properly with dams & homeopathic remedies by a specialist dentist ) And have cut out as many chemicals in our lives as possible- cleanignstuff , creams , makeup etc & eat organic & AIP — see an acupuncturist she’s brilliant

[DJR1]

Lichen Planus is an autoimmune disease just like Hashimoto’s. Hypothyroidism patients are likely to have several autoimmune diseases and I suspect that the best approach is healing the leaky gut with probiotics and kefir.